Searches in Laois and Offaly as over €8 million in drugs seized

Gardaí carried out searches in Laois during an operation that netted cash and over €8 million in heroin and cocaine. 

As part of ongoing investigations into organised criminal activity linked to drug trafficking, Gardaí carried out a coordinated operation aimed at dismantling a well-structured criminal organisation involved in large-scale drug distribution on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 7 and 8.

The operation was led by the Terenure Drugs Unit, with support from the Serious Crime Unit Terenure, the DMR South Divisional Crime and Community Engagement Units, the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), the DMR Armed Support Unit and the Stolen Car Unit of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI). A total of 60 Garda personnel participated in the operation.

In the course of the operation search warrants were executed at 16 properties across South Dublin, West Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Laois, and Offaly.

During the searches, Gardaí seized in excess of 110 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 1.5 kilograms of suspected heroin, with an estimated street value of €8.2 million. The drugs were recovered from two vans seized during the operation and will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis. Additionally, cash totalling £38,000 sterling and €63,000 euro was confiscated.

One man, aged in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking offences. He is currently being detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda station in the Dublin Region. Gardaí said investigations are ongoing.